Tube-deflating machine



Ian. 31, I928.

J. WAHL ET AL TUBE DEFLATING MACHINE Filed NOV. 24. 1925 A All/2? lin -I ai 5w- IL n INVENTORS 2 J v/m By Attorneyf gau WWW? r Patented Jan. 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES PAIENT OFFICE.

JOHN WAHL AND OTTO MELZER,.OF BOROUGH OF QUEENS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO A. SCHRADIERS SUN, ENG, OF BROOKLYN, ELEV] YORK, A COEFDLRATIOlN OF NEW YORK.

TUBE-DEFLATIHG MACHINE.

Application filed November 24, 1926. Serial No. 150,504.

This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic tube deflating machines and aims to simplify and increase the efficiency of such devices.

Heretofore it has been usual to deflate pneumatic tubes by connecting the valve stem of the tube with an Operating vacuum pum and to employmechanical means of one orm or another in engagement with or' in proximity to the foot of the valve stem to maintain the walls of the tubeseparated at the point whereat the air is exhausted until substantially all the air has been evacuated from the tube. In most of. these, processes the tube, after deflation, does not lie flat nor conveniently lend itself to rolling or folding for packing without buckling. This is particularly trueof tire tubes which are formed on curved mandrels.

According to the present invention we provide a novel arrangement of tube support which dispenses with all forms of mechanical means for holding the tube walls spaced from the foot of the valve stem, and have found that all that is required to insure that the tube will be efficiently deflated, and that when so deflated it will lie substantially flat and be free from buckling when rolled or folded, is to place the tube on the support and connect the tube valve stem to the operating vacuum pump. Briefly stated, we accomplish these results by supporting the tube to be deflated over a supporting frame in such co-operativerelation that the tube upon deflation will, due to the action of gravity thereon assume a substantially flat arcuate form and have its walls adjacent the foot of the tube valve stem maintained spaced away from the opening through said foot portion. The tube in this condition can be quickly res moved from the support and folded or rolled for packing. The invention also includes other features of novelty which will be hereinafter more fully described.

A preferred embodiment of our invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein,

Figure 1 is a fractional elevation of our tube deflating machine with being shown 1n section.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of an improved coupling used with our invention.

Referring to the drawings A indicates a parts thereof base upon which is mounted a vertical up ri ht or standard B formed at its'top with a hollow bearing C having an external circumferential groove'c which communicates with the hollow interior ofthe bearing through openings 0. Connected tothe top of the interior of thebearing C is atube D communicating with a suction pump (nots'hown) Rotatably mounted upon the bearing C is a movable carrier E having a plurality of radial ducts ecommunicating with the interior of the bearing C through the groove 0 and openmg o. The carrier E carries a plurality of supporting arms F, each" of which is preferably in the form of a rigid tube communicating with a duct 6 in the carrier E. Said supporting arms F arepreferably horizontally disposed and include an angularly disposed portion f, the free end of which is closed by a plug f or the like, said portion 7 preferably forming approximately a right anglewith the horizontal arm F. Dependently supported by said arms F and preferably in communication therewith is a flexible'conduit G, which, at its free end, carries a coupling device indicated as a whole by the letter H, said coupling'being intended for quick attachable and detachable engagement with the end of a tube valve stem attached to the tube to be deflated.

The coupling H consists of a. housing J having a bore therethrough within which is axially movable a tubular member K, one end 7: of which is formed for engagement with the conduit G, and the other end is of whichv is designed for engagement with a tire valve stem. Within the end of the tubular member there is mounted a. disk packing L, upon which seats a disk valve M provided on one side with a depending tire valve unseating pin m, and on its opposite side with a guiding stud m, which stud has a lateral passage m adapted to establish communication between opposite ends of the tubular member when the valve -M therein is unseated. The valveM is maintained normally seated on the packing L by a spring m the tension ofwhich is slightly greater than the suction effect operating to unseat the valve M. Pivotally mounted upon the housing J are a pair of arms N, the lower ends of which carry a pair of jaws 'n which are normally urged into inward or engag ing position by coil springs a positioned between the housing and said arms, said jaws n being movable outwardly pressing the arms N together. Between a shoulder within the housing J and a shoulder on the member; K there is positioned a coil spring 0 normally urging the member K toward the tire valve engaging end of the coupling, said member K being limited in said movement by engagement with the jaws n. The function of said spring O is. to insure a lealc. tight joint between 'the packing L and the top of a tire valve stem when the coupling is attached thereto. The housing J is also adapted for free rotation on, the tubular member K and it; limited in itsoutward movement on the member K by a splitspriu g j mounted on-the member K.

In the operation of the device two operatorsare preferably employed, the duty of the first being. to mount the tire to be deflated upon the supports, and the duty of the. second. to merely remove the deflated tires from the supports when they reach him, the rate at which the tubes are deflated; being controlled so that a tire will be completely deflated in the rotation of the carrier member E from the first operator to the. second. Specifically, the deflating operationis carried out as follows: The first operator will first connect coupling H to the valve Q of the. pneumatic tube Pto be deflated, thereby simultaneously unseating the valve within the valve stem and the valve M within the coupling, thereby establishing fluid communication between the interior of the tube P and the suction pump. The tube P is then mounted upon the support with portions 7? and 7) thereof disposed on opposite sides of the support. as best shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2. \Vhcn so positioned, the tube is sent on its circuit aroundthe bearing C by being either given a gentle push by the. operator or by me.- chanical means for rotating the carrier E at a predetermined rate. The mounting t the tubes P is continued by the first operator, and as deflation progresses, the portions of the tubes on opposite sides of the support will fall and assume arcuate forms. which will. have a substantially flat. condition, as best, shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2, by the timesaid tubes reach the second operator, whereat said tubes are removed from the support. The. initial mounting of the tube upon a. support and theconnection between; the. coupling and the. tube valve. stem isipreferably such that the tube valve stem will havea relation to the walls of the tube adjacent the foot, portion of said valve stem, suchthat upon deflationof the tube the. action of gravity upon said tube walls will maintain said walls spaced away from or out. of engagement withthe opening through the foot; of the valve stem, and we have foundthat when the relationship of parts is as outlined no auxiliary spreader devices, either mechanical or otherwise, need be employed for maintaining the walls of the tube spaced from the foot of the valve stem so as to permit complete evacuation otthc tube. It will be accordingly understood that because of this, greater etliciency in deflation of tubes can be realized. Also, be-

cause of the fact that the tubes in deflated condition will assume the substantially arcuate flat formation as shown in the drawings, tubes deflated according to the present method and on the structure of the present device are peculiarly better adapted for folding or rolling, when packing the tubes for market. W'e have found that all pneumatic tubes, "whether formed on straight or curved mandrels, can be equally well de tlated according to the present invention,

l-Vhile we have shown and described a preferred embodiment of our invention we wish it to he understood. that changes in structural details may be resorted, to with out departing from the spirit of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. A pneumatic tube deflating mechanism comprising a support having angularly-disposed portions upon which a pneuu'iatie tube to be deflated can be placed, which tube, when sopositioued, will have portions thereof disposed on oppositev sides ol. the plane of the support with its valve stem free to move as the tube is being deflated, and means connecting with a suction device for engaging theend of the tube valve stem, the co-operative relation of the tube valve stem, support and means connecting with the suction device being such that the tube. upon deflation, will, due to the action ofgravity thereon. have its walls adjacent the toot of the tube valve stem maintained spaced away from the opening through the l ot. of the valve stem.

2. A. pneumatic tubedcflatiug mechanism which is free from mechanical means for holding the tube 'alls spaced from the foot of the valve stem comprising zrslu'ipm't upon which a tube to be deflated can he supported withthe foot of the tube valve stem below the. point: of support. and means connecting with a suction device for engaging the end of the tube valve stem to exhaust. the air from the tube, the co-operative relation of the tube valve stem, support and means for connecting with the suction device, when a tube is mounted on the support bcingsuch that the tube upon deflation will, dueto the actionof gravity thereon, have its walls adjacent the foot of the tube valve stem maintained spaced away from the opening through the foot of the. valve stem.

3. A pneumatic tube deflating mechanism which is free from mechanical means for holding the tube walls spaced away from the foot of the valve stem comprising a support upon which a tube to be deflated can luu "be supported in such manner that the tube valvestem will be free to move asthe tube is being deflated, and such that upon deflation', the tube will assume an arcuate substantially flat form with the tube valve stem axis lying within the planes of the flattened Walls of the deflated tube.

4. A pneumatictube deflating mechanism com rising a support upon which a pneumatic tube to be deflated can be placed, which tube when so positioned will have portions thereof disposed on opposite sides of the plane of the support and its valve stem free to move as the tube is being deflated, and means connecting with a suction device for engaging the end of the tube valve stem to exhaust the air from the tube, said support being such that upon deflation of said tube, the portions thereof disposed on opposite sides of the support will fall on said opposite sides of said support and assume a substantially flat condition.

5. A pneumatic tubedeflating mechanism comprising a support having singularly disposed portionsupon which a pneumatic tube to be deflated can be placed, which tube when so positioned will have portions thereof disposed on opposite sides of the plane of the support with its valve stem free to move as the tube is being deflated, and means connecting with a suction device for engaging the end of the tube valve stem, said support being such that upon deflation of said tube, the portions thereof disposed on opposite sides of the support will droop down over said opposite sides of said support and assume arcuate forms which will have a substantially flat condition between said angularly-disposed portions of the support.

6. A neumatic tube deflating mechanism comprising a support having portions thereof disposed substantially in a common plane at an angle to each other over which a pneumatic tube to be deflated can be placed,

t which tube when so positioned will have portions thereof dlsposed on opposite side-sof' the plane of the support, and means connecting with a suction device for engaging the end of the tube valve'stem, said. support being such that upon deflation of said tube,

the portions thereof disposed on opposite sides of the support will droop down over said opposite sides of said'support and assume arcuate forms which will have a substantially flat condition and be parallel with each other.

7. A pneumatic tube deflating mechanism comprising a support having portions there of disposed substantially in a common plane at a right angle to each other upon which a pneumatic tube to be deflated can be placed, which tube when so positioned will have portions thereof disposed on opposite sides of the plane of the support, and means connecting with a suction device for engaging the end of the tube valve stem, said support being such that upon deflation of said tube, the portions thereofdisposed on opposite sides of the support will droop down over said opposite sides of said support and assume the form of arcsof approximately .90",

which arcuate portions will lie in substantially'flat coincident relation.

8. A pneumatic tube deflating mechanism com arisin a su 3 aort havin a substantiallv b b I horizontally disposed member, means connectlng with a suction devlce, a coupling for engaging the end of a pneumatic tube valve deflation of said tube, the portions thereof disposed on opposite sides of the horizontal member will gradually droop down over said member, until upon substantially complete evacuation of the tube, said portions thereof on opposite sides of the horizontal member will assume a substantially flat condition.

9. A pneumatic tube deflating mechanism according to claim 8, wherein the horizontally disposed member is in the form of a rigid conduit which is connected with the suction device, and wherein the flexible conduit is dependently supported from said rigid conduit and in communication therewith.

10. A pneumatic tube deflating mechanism which is free from mechanical means for holding the tube walls spaced from the foot of the valve stem, comprising a support upon which a tube to be deflated can be supported in such manner that the tube valve stem will be free to move as the tube is being deflated, means connecting with a suction device for engaging the end of the tube valve stem to exhaust the air from the tube, the co-operative relation between the tube valve stem, the support and means connecting with the suction device when a tube is mounted on the support being such that the tube, upon deflation, will, due to the action of gravity thereon, have its walls adjacent the foot of the tube valve stem maintained spaced away from the opening through the foot of the valve stem to permitsubstantially complete evacuation of the tube.

11. The method of deflating pneumatic tubes that comprises mounting a tube to be deflated upon supporting means so that the foot of the tube valve stem and the tube walls adjacent saidvalve stemwill lie below auren that portions of the tube willbe laterally disposed, on. opposite. sides of the support ing means, leaving said laterally disposed portions unsupported andzfree to fall downwardly as the tube .is being deflated, and connectingsaid valve stem with a suction de vice to exhaust the air from the tube.

In witness whereof, We have hereunto signed our names.

JOHN WAHL. OTTO MELZER. 

